Why a Synthetic Hockey pitch?

The artificial surfaces of a synthetic hockey pitch give the players a lot much more deal with of the ball. Coupled with enhanced ball speed, hockey has develop to be a faster and a lot much more thrilling game.

Extra data and details on Field Hockey pitch and developing there of.

A hockey pitch is the playing surface for the game of field hockey. Historically, the game was played on organic turf (grass) but at present it is predominantly played on an artificial turf. The transition onto artificial pitches came for the duration of the 1970s and was made mandatory for large competitions in 1976. All the lines, markings and target specifications are outlined by the International Hockey Federation in “The Suggestions of Hockey”.

All line markings on the pitch variety element of the area which they define. For instance, a ball on the side line is nonetheless in the field of play a ball on the line of the penalty circle is in the penalty circle a foul committed much more than the 23-metre (25-yard) line has occurred in the 23-metre area. A ball will have to completely cross a boundary line to be out of play, and a ball will have to wholly cross the target line prior to a target is scored.

Due to the original formulation of the recommendations in England, the frequent dimensions of a hockey pitch have been initially expressed in imperial units. The recommendations are now expressed explicitly in metric dimensions (since 1998), regardless of the reality that the use of the imperial terms remains common in some nations

Field of play on a hockey pitch

Colored pitches are produced use of to distinguish the field of play (green or blue) from the run-off (red/blue/yellow/orange/and so forth).

The hockey pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer perimeter edges are named the side line, the opposing shorter edges are referred as the back line and the portion of this amongst the target posts is identified as the target line. The side line will have to measure 91.40 m and the back line definitely should really measure 55.00 m. There will have to be a minimum run-off of two m at the sidelines and 3 m at the backlines which may be a distinctive surface for the final meter. All line markings will have to be white and 75 millimeters wide. In just about every single corner of the pitch, a corner flag of no a lot much more than 300 mm square is attached to a post of height 1.20–1.50 m.

Historically, the pitch dimensions have been imperial and have been replaced by metric equivalents in 1998. The 1st recorded recommendations represented what London clubs have been generating use of at the time. Surbiton Hockey Club’s minutes from 1876 stated that pitches have been to be “100–150 yards (91–137 m) extended and 50–80 yards (46–73 m) wide”. Suggestions by the Hockey Association of England in 1886 specified “one particular hundred yards extended by 55 to 60 yards (50 to 55 m) wide”.34 In 1905, the International Suggestions Board permitted the width of the pitch to be “up to 66 yards (60 m)” but this decision was reversed in 1909.5 In 1975, the present width of 60 yards was written into the recommendations.34

On artificial surfaces, the field of play definitely should really be coloured green, ultramarine blue or signal blue. It is permitted for the run-off portion of the pitch to be an selection colour. The London 2012 Olympics started a new trend for blue hockey pitches, considering that blue turf assists television viewers to clearly see the ball and markings on the hockey pitch for the duration of gameplay. Not all hockey pitches have to be blue, but a yellow ball on blue turf is now the frequent for specialist field hockey tournaments.

Objective

A hockey target at the 1960 Summer time time Olympics. The target is deeper at ground level with side and backboards about the base.

Objectives consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the center of the backline, joined at the prime by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts will have to be 3.66 metres apart, and the decreased edge of the crossbar will have to be two.14 metres (7 ft) above the ground. The goalposts and crossbar will have to be white and rectangular in shape with width 50 millimetres and a depth of 50 to 75 millimeters (.

The target will have to be at least 1.20 m deep at ground level and at least .90 m deep at crossbar level. The target area will have to be delimited at ground level by a target backboard and two sideboards of height 460 millimetres (18 in). Affixed to these boards, the posts and crossbar is a net to quit the ball.eight

Hockey nets can come in distinctive dimensions primarily based on how deep at ground level and at crossbar level the target is. Popular dimensions for a frequent field hockey net are about 3.7m (W) x two.1m (H) x 1.2m (D).7

The 1st hockey ambitions have been “7 feet (two.1 m) tall posts placed six yards (5.5 m) apart” but have been decreased to 4 yards (3.7 m) apart in the 1886 recommendations. In 1987, a rule was introduced so that at penalty corners “the 1st hit at target definitely should really not cross the target-line higher than 18 inches (460 mm)”. This saw the introduction of a sideboard and backboard to the ambitions which are now mandatory.34

Circle

A view of the penalty circle (powerful line), the broken circle 5 m from it, and the penalty spot.

A target is scored when the ball passes completely much more than the target line but only if the ball was played by an offensive player in the penalty circle. On major of that, the circle marks the area a goalkeeper may play the ball with any element of his physique and the area precisely exactly where an infringement by a defender added benefits in a penalty corner. The terminology circle (or D) is extensively produced use of regardless of the reality that the area is actually formed by a 3.66-metre (4 yd) straight line, parallel to the target line, connected to two 14.63-metre (16 yd) quadrant arcs.910

The 1876 recommendations stated that “no ambitions shall be permitted if the ball be hit from a distance of a lot much more than 15 yards (14 m) from the nearest goalpost”. A visible “striking circle” with “radius of 15 yards” was codified in 1886.34 The radius of the circle was enhanced to 16 yards (15 m) in 1951 for men’s hockey and 1968 for women’s hockey.5 Any completely cost-free-hit inside 5 m of the circle has slightly distinctive recommendations from other people concerning other players’ distance a broken circle 5 m from the penalty circle denotes this location.ten

A penalty spot is centrally positioned straight in front of the target and produced use of for a penalty stroke. The spot is 150 mm in diameter and its centre is six.475 m from the outdoors of the target line.ten Penalty strokes have been introduced in 1963 for deliberately stopping a specific goal3 they have been initially taken eight yards (7.3 m) from target. In 1973, a stroke could also be awarded for a deliberate foul in the circle and the spot was moved to 7 yards (six.4 m) from target the following year.5

Other markings

Simon Gougnard prepares to take a penalty corner from the ten m mark. The 5 m line above demarcates the closest position a defender may stand.

A half-way line, parallel to the back line, divides the pitch in two. The commence of just about every single period of play and resumption of play following a target starts with all players in the half they are defending. The line was also produced use of for the obselete offside rule.3

Every single and just about every half of the pitch is then divided when once more by a line, referred to as the 23 metre line or 25 yard line, positioned 22.90 m11 from just about every single back line. Historically, this was 1st produced use of to resume play suitable soon after the ball passed much more than the back line and marked by flags at the side of the pitch. In 1949, deliberate defensive offenses in this area resulted in a penalty corner. From 1961, players on the defensive group who have been not involved at the penalty corner stood behind this line (this was then moved to the half-way line two years later). The line was also produced use of for the offside rule amongst 1987 till the rule was abolished in 1996.3 Presently, there are detailed recommendations regarding fouls and completely cost-free-hits in the 23 metre region of the pitch.12 Contemplating that 2015, the 23 metre line has also been produced use of for the attacking group to resume play when it has gone much more than the back line (this replaced extended corners).13

There are further markings 300 mm extended and perpendicular to the back line that denote distances of ten m and 5 m from just about every single target post. These are relevant at a penalty corner the former is the mark from which the attacking group demands the penalty corner and the latter is the closest position which a defender may stand. These marks had been 5 and ten yards (4.six and 9.1 m) in earlier versions of the recommendations.3 There is a associated mark 5 m from along the side line (from precisely exactly where extended corners have been formerly taken) and a mark 14.six m along the side line indicating the level of the prime of the penalty circle. There are also 150 mm extended markings precisely exactly where the target posts are situated.14

Artificial playing surface

“artificial grass permits much less complicated ball deal with and this in itself assists to lower the quantity of infringements of the rules—which implies substantially much less whistle and fewer stoppages. The game therefore becomes much less complicated to comply with, as nicely as becoming a faster spectacle and drastically a lot much more intriguing from a spectator point of view.”

Historically, the game was made on organic grass turf. Getting stated that, in 1976, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made artificial pitches mandatory at all large competitions.17 The 1976 Summer time time Olympics in Montreal was the 1st of these getting stated that at this time handful of players had noticed or played on synthetic pitches.18 Even although it is nonetheless permissible to play on organic turf all national competitions and international matches will have to be played on an artificial surface.19 Elite-level competitions, such as the Olympic Games and Planet Cup, will need a water-mostly primarily based playing surface. Getting stated that, due to water conservation efforts, this is not noticed as a extended-term sustainable decision and selection elite surfaces that do not will need water are becoming researched.20

There are three principal sorts of artificial hockey pitch surface:

   • Unfilled or water-mostly primarily based – artificial fibers that are densely packed for stabilization, demands irrigation or watering to protect against pitch place on

    • Dressed or sand-dressed – artificial fibers can be substantially much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for element of the pile depth

    • Filled or sand-filled – artificial fibers can be longer and substantially much less densely packed and sand supports the fibers for one particular hundred% of the pile depth

On water-mostly primarily based pitches, shorter fibers and wetted turf lower friction and enhance the speed at which the game can be played. Getting stated that, these pitches will need watering prior to, for the duration of and suitable soon after the game and upkeep charges are substantial.

Sand-dressed pitches cost a lot much more than sand-filled pitches but are preferable for hockey as there is an absence of sand close to the playing surface. Getting stated that, a multi-objective surface acceptable for sports like association football and tennis is typically necessary and hockey may not be the predominant sport. There are fairly a handful of distinctive specifications and categorizations for artificial turf like shock absorption, surface rebound, friction, and strength outlined by the International Hockey Federation.26 Lately, longer-pile third-generation or 3G pitches have develop to be properly identified, specially for football, but these do not normally meet the FIH’s test criteria they are typically also inconsistent and slow.27

Criticism

The Planet Hockey magazine reported on the 1st hockey tournament played on an artificial pitch in 1975—a trial occasion in Montreal prior to the Olympics—and stated the surface had “enormous positive aspects”.1516 Steve Ruskin, of Sports Illustrated, stated that “A slow, analytical game gave way to a single of nonstop, precise-hop action.”28 Getting stated that, it has been stated that the decision to make artificial surfaces mandatory significantly favored a lot much more affluent Western nations who could afford these new pitches.29 Just just before the switch to an artificial surface the Indian men’s hockey group have been dominant, winning seven of the eight Olympic gold medals amongst 1928 and 1964.28 In 1996, Indian hockey player Ajit Pal Singh stated that in spite of its size ” can afford only 12 or so Artificial Turf fields”.Sardara Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey group, stated that “hockey players in India play on astroturf [sic] for the 1st time at the age of 19 or 20 and find out it definitely tough to adapt.”29 Getting stated that, the Pakistan hockey group have performed nicely following the modify of surface in spite of the nation becoming worse off economically and obtaining fewer artificial pitches.16 When describing the modify of surface, Ruskin stated that “for India it was like starting much more than, with all nations even in field hockey